Metal closure



March 6, 1934. 1.. R. N. CARVALHO METAL CLOSURE Filed Aug. 15, 1932 Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES METAL CLOSURE Leslie n. N. Camlho, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to The Closure Service Company, Toledo, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application August 15, 1932, Serial no. 628.8075 Claims. (01. 215-38) My invention relates to improvements in metal closures and methods of applying them to containers and more particularly to closures for glass containers.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a metal closure including a sealing gasket adapted for engagement with the side sealing surface of a container, the closure construction being such that application thereof distorts the sealing gasket in a fashion to force it into positive sealing contact with the sealing surfaces of the closure and container. To this end the attaching flange of the closure is of such form that during the closure applying operation its height and diameter are reduced, thereby distorting the sealing gasket and forcing it into snug sealing and holding engagement with the sealing surfaces of the closure and container as stated above. Because of such distortion of the sealing gasket, it readily conforms to the conv tour and any irregularities of the sealing surface and provides an absolutely reliable seal.

A further object is the provision in a closure of the above character of means which, in addi- .tion to permitting shortening and contraction of the annular flange of the closure, provides a shoulder or bead well adapted for engagement by a closure removing. implement. I

Another object is the provision of a closure of the above character in which the flange depending from the top portion of the closure is provided with a corrugated or other such irregularly formed outer surface, facilitating gripping of the cap when it is to be removed from a container.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the closure applied to a jar.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the first step involved in applying the closure to a container.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the closure attached to the container.

Fig. 4 is afragmentary detail sectional view illustrating the first step in applying the improved closure to a container having a threaded neck.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the closure attached to the container.

Figs. 6 and '7 are fragmentary sectional views illustrating another method of attaching the closure to a container.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the flange of the closure provided with a closed bead or wire edge about its lower margin.

The illustrated embodiment of the closure is especially adapted for 'use with and, therefore, shown applied to a glass container 10 having a filling opening 11 at its upper end and an external pry-off ledge 12 or shoulder,encircling the upper end of the container in proximity to said filling opening. The outer wall of the container between said pry-01f ledge and the upper end of the finish constitutes a side sealing surface 13 which is adapted for sealing contact with a sealing element carried by the closure 14.

The closure 14 (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) which may be formed of any suitable light sheet metal, includes a circular top portion 15 and a depending annular flange 16. An inturned portion 17 at the lower edge of the flange 16 provides a stop designed to retain a sealing gasket 18 or ring, against accidental displacement in the closure. This sealing gasket which is of sleeve-like formation is confined between said inturned portion 17 and the circular top portion 15 and is of suflicient height to completely fill the space between said portions. Preferably the sealing gasket and, therefore, the flange 16, are of somewhat larger diameter than the external diameter of the upper end of the container, thereby facilitating placingof the closure over the container preparatory to actual application thereof, as will be apparent presently. This is necessary in order to prevent trapping of air in excessive quantities and, therefore, building up too great a pressure in the container. An external vertically collapsible bead 19 forming an integral part of the flange 16, provides means whereby the height of the flange 16, as well as the circumference thereof, may be reduced in order to distort the sealing gasket 18 in a fashion to force the latter into snug sealing contact with the sealing surfaces of the closure and container. Preferably, this bead is substantially V-shape in cross-section including an outwardly declined upper wall 20 and an outwardly inclined lower wall 21. By varying the relative lengths and, therefore, the

angles of inclination of these two walls, various final forms of closures may be obtained. In the illustrated embodiment (Fig. 1), the upper wall 20 is, somewhat longer than the lower wall 21 and is disposed at an angle of approximately 50 while the lower wall is arranged at an angle of approximately 27 or 28. As a result, the application of top pressure to the closure collapses the bead 19 causing it to assume su stantially the form shown in Fig. 3 wherein both walls are declined radially outward in the same general direction and that portion of the flange above the bead is in part contracted. By so reducing the height and circumference of the flange 16, the sealing gasket is forced to conform to the exact shape of the sealing surface 13 including any irregularities therein and the lower side of the collapsed head 19 assumes aposition facilitating the use of any suitably prying implement in removing the closure from the container. Because the lower wall 21 of the head 19 is declined radially outward, it is evident that a knife or other instrument may be used as a lever with little likelihood of the instrument slipping from beneath the bead and injuring the operator.

In Figs. 4 and 5, the closure 14 is constructed almost precisely in accordance with the form just described, the main feature of distinction being in the provision of an annular series of vertically extending corrugations 22 onthe flange 16 at a point above the collapsible head 19. This feature is added to facilitate gripping of the closure in order that it may be removed from the container 10 by rotation thereof, if such method of removal is preferred. The container 10 in this instance has screw threads 23 formed on the sealing surface 13. The closure is applied to the container in the manner described above with the result that the sealing gasket 18 is pressed into snug engagement with the threads and adjoining external surfaces of the container. While the closure may be removed by means of a prying implement, it isobvious that removal may be more easily accomplished by rotating it as in removing an ordinary screw cap.

In another form of the invention (Figs. 6 and '7), the closure 14 includes a circular top portion 15 and an annular depending flange 16, the flange in this form being of considerably greater height than in the preceding forms, so that the head 19 may be completely collapsed and positioned to substantially enclose the pry-off ledge 12. It will be noted that both walls of the collapsible bead l9 and the flange wall below said bead are pressed into parallel relation and contact with each other, thereby forcing the sealing gasket 18 to completely fill the space between the flange 16 and sealing surface 13 of the container. Corrugations 23 on the upper wall of the bead 19 provide means facilitating gripping of the closure for removal from the container. If preferred, any suitable prying instrument may be inserted between the downwardly folded collapsible bead 19 and the pry-off ledge 12 and used as a lever in removing the closure.

In Fig. 8 the lower margin of the closure flange 16 is shown provided with a hollow bead 24 or wire edge in place of the inturned portion 17. This construction tends to increase the strength and rigidity of the flange. v

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: v

1. A metalclosure comprising a circular top portion, an annular depending flange thereon, said flange formed with a continuous external vertically collapsible bead and an inturned portion at its lower edge, and a sealing gasket an ranged within the closure and supported by said inturned portion, said collapsible bead being substantially V-shape in cross-section and disposed in its entirety radially beyond the remaining exterior surface of said flange.

2. A metal closure comprising a circular top portion, an annular depending flange thereon, said flange formed with a continuous external vertically collapsible bead and an-inturned portion at its lower edge, and a sealing gasket an ranged within the closure and supported by said inturned portion, said collapsible bead being substantially V-shape in cross-section and disposci in its entirety radially beyond the remaining exterior surface of said flange, the upper wall of the beadbeing longer and disposed at a steeper inclination to the horizontal than the lower wall whereby when the bead is collapsed vertically both of said walls decline radially outward in the same general direction.

3. In combination, a container having afilling opening at its upper end and a continuous external ledge encircling the container in proximity to the filling opening, a metal closure including a circular top portion fitting over the filling opening, a depending annular flange on said top portion adapted to fit over the upper endof the container, a sealing gasket within the closure, and an external vertically collapsible bead encircling and forming an integral part of said flange, said flange being of such height with respect to the distance between the ledge and upper end of the container and the bead being substantially V-shape in cross-section and of such size that when the latter is collapsed vertically downward the walls substantially enclose said ledge.

4. In combination, a container having a filling opening at its upper end and a continuous external ledge encircling the container in proximity to the filling opening, a metal closure including a circular top portion fitting over the opening, a depending annular flange on the top portion adapted to flt over the upper end of said container, an external vertically collapsible bead encircling and forming a part of said flange, said bead disposed in proximity to the lower margin of the flange and adapted when collapsed to overlie at least a major portion of the ledge and with the latter provide means whereby a prying implement may be inserted between the ledge and bead and used as a lever in removing the closure, and a sealing gasket carried by the closure and adapted to be compressed by collapsing said bead.

5. A metal closure comprising a circular top portion, a depending annular attaching flange about the margin of the top portion, a sealing gasket within the closure extending the full height of said flange, and a vertically collapsible external bead encircling and forming an integral part of the flange, said bead being substantially V-shape in cross section, the lower wall of said bead being of less width than the upper wall whereby collapse of the bead under top pressure applied to the closure places the lower wall in a substantially horizontal plane.

LESLIE R. N. CARVALHO.

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